Dog finds human skull in northwest Houston wooded lot

Authorities combed a forested lot for skeletal remains Thursday after a dog found a human skull.

A homeowner near the 11800 block of Ferndell Street, near Furay Road in northeast Houston, called police after the pup brought them the skull from a property thick with trees and garbage, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.

Investigators found more bone fragments and "burn spots" in the lot, the sheriff continued.

"Deputies that know the area very well say it's a very desolate, dark area," Gonzalez said. "There's not a lot of lighting out here and, as you can see, it's used as some kind of dumping ground."

Nicole Hensley is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She joined the Chronicle in 2018 after covering breaking news at the New York Daily News and The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington. A native of Seattle, Nicole is a graduate of Washington State University.